Last Weekend

21 September 2011 We went to a lunchroom called Bagel Bakery & Burgers in downtown Rotterdam last Saturday. It's quite a cozy place with a modern eclectic decor. The place is partitioned in two eating areas big enough for groups and is child-friendly. If the weather is nice, you can also opt to sit outside but it was rather chilly then so we stayed in.



Mike and Maya both had mini bagel burgers with a side of homemade rosemary fries while I chose a salad meal. The salad wasn't really all that, though. I thought it was a bit bland. I expected the 9 year old balsamic vinegar to have more tang but I barely tasted it so that was somewhat disappointing. I'd rate it 2.5 out of 5. The burgers, however, were a hit. Definitely a 4, says Mike. Next time, that's what I'm going to try!



They have a lovely selection of cakes, too. That's actually what we went there for initially. I really like the lemon curd pie. It's subtle but rich in flavor. It's also not overly sweet; just the way I like it.

Then last Sunday, we visited a couple friends who live a bit outside of Rotterdam. I met her in school two years ago and we stayed in touch since then. It was a relaxed afternoon of friendly games of Mahjong and chitchats over sweets and snacks.



I met their cat called Sausje and it made me want one, too. I'm not much of a pet-person really but I would want a cat that is as cute as this one. Isn't she lovely?



It's been a while since we had a weekend like that and it was nice.

Behold, My Dinner!

28 February 2010

Stir Fried Chicken and Vegetables in Oyster Sauce
and Garlic Fried Rice
Sprinkled with Japanese Rice Topper

Very easy to make and quite satisfying!

These are actually leftovers which I honestly like more than the freshly cooked.

Brunch and Cards

18 May 2008

Today's brunch was milk and bagel with brie. It's been a while since I had a bagel and drank fresh milk so it's worth sharing.

On other things, my head is buzzing with ideas and making lists keeps me sane. I had to put down the books I have been reading to avoid chaos and confusion up there. Mental multitasking is an art I have yet to master. When we were at a cousin's birthday party yesterday, my hands were itching to grab the notebook stashed inside my bag so I could sketch designs and make more lists. It'd be rude to do that so I spent the time telling Mike about it. I couldn't wait to put the idea into picture then execute to see if it works. The coming weeks will be all about that.



Looks like Little Ms Firefly and I are on the same creative wavelength as we've been making new flatcard designs recently. Go check her blog and see all the lovely things she makes.


I have been toying with the idea of making my own envelopes but didn't get to it until a few evenings ago. I'm quite pleased with the result so I'm making more of them to match the flat cards for my spring collection. I'm going to put these up for sale as soon as the shop website is up. In the meantime, I will busy myself with making other things which I will show you in the coming days. If you do wish to purchase now, feel free to e-mail me and I will fill you in with the details.

You've no idea how this is exciting and scary for me. To actually put the stuff I make out there hoping that someone somewhere will like them. But I'm going to try anyway!

Here's to you, Mama!

24 April 2008

May you have more happy and blessed years to come!
I'm thinking about you.
Happy, happy birthday!

With much love from across the globe and a big slice of cake with fresh strawberries and whipped cream,
Your only daughter

Tuna Spread

29 February 2008

This is my favorite lunch.

Don't mind that it looks kind of gross because it tastes really good.

Canned tuna in olive oil (drained), pickles, mayo (made with yoghurt), a pinch of salt and pepper, and bread. I used to not like whole wheat bread because I always thought it tasted bland, but I was proven wrong. I think it was two years ago that I started eating it because it's healthy and tastes quite good. I'm still not a big fan of bread though. I can't eat it everyday.

Spaghetti - Filipino Style

28 February 2008 I have been dreaming of my mom's and Jollibee's spaghetti for days now so I decided to make something close to it to satisfy my craving. It would have been nearly perfect if there were hotdogs, particularly Purefoods' (I'll just dream about it), but I contented myself without it.



Ingredients:

200g ground beef
2 big cloves of garlic
1 red onion
375ml ~ 400g tomato sauce
tomato paste (small)
salt
pepper
1 tablespoon of sugar
tabasco (optional)
dried parsley (optional)
spaghetti
grated cheese

For the pasta:

1. Cook spaghetti in boiling salted water until al dente. Then drain.

Tip: Stir occasionally to avoid them sticking together or drain in running cold water.

For the sauce:

1. Put the *pan on medium heat. *Cook the ground beef until it's slightly brown. Set the ground beef aside and add the garlic and onion. Once the garlic turns golden brown, mix them altogether for a minute. Add pinches of salt and pepper and the *tomato paste. Make sure that the meat is somewhat evenly coated with the paste. Add *Tabasco, then the tomato sauce and sugar. Wait till it boils and add the dried parsley. Then it's ready to serve with grated cheese. Good for 2-3 people, 3-4 if you serve with bread.

* I used a Teflon wok.
* I intentionally didn't use oil because the meat has enough fat in it.
* Tomato paste makes the sauce thicker. If you only cook for one or two, two tablespoons are enough. Otherwise, it would be too thick and you'll have to add on the sauce.
* The Tabasco is a personal choice. It gives the sauce a spicy twist.

This is a very easy meal to cook. If you do try this recipe, let me know how it turned out!

Happy cooking!

Club Cracker

31 January 2008

This was my brunch.

Tomatoes, hard-boiled egg, bacon, cheese, salad greens and the soft thin Swedish bread turned into cracker because I thought putting it in the oven for a minute was a good idea. Turns out, it wasn't. It was soft for a reason, and, ironically, I bought it for that reason.

I haven't done much lately because I've been feeling crappy since last weekend. And, I still do. I hope whatever virus this is, it will go away soon because I have a couple of projects to finish as I'm doing two swaps this month and pack birthday presents for my brothers: one celebrated two days ago and the other one today. As you know, I'm already running late on that.